Some familiar bands made their return to Syracuse last Thursday at the all new F-Shed that keeps bringing many shows of various types of music on a consistent basis. This time, teaming up with 95x (WAQX) Black Label Society made their first appearance in Syracuse since 2005. Along with Black Label Society headlining, Hatebreed made their second appearance in two years since playing at the Westcott Theater back in December 2012. And opening the night was Butcher Babies, who last played the Lost Horizon over a year ago.
This was my first time at this venue and I thought the sound was fantastic. It helps that the venue is a big metal shed, which really helps carry the sound with a very large stage and helps any band to be able to perform at their best. This is a more ideal music venue in Syracuse, much bigger and better than the other smaller venues in town.
Butcher Babies opened with an eight song set. Although I find it odd for this band to be opening for the likes of a hardcore outfit like Hatebreed or even a heavy metal band like Black Label Society, the crowd was still pretty receptive to them. I have seen Butcher Babies previously in a smaller venue last year, and I do think they were better this time than the first time I’ve seen them. Butcher Babies thrive on a bigger stage and a larger capacity venue.
Hatebreed burst on to the stage with the theme from Rocky playing over the P.A. as their intro, then immediately opening with “To The Threshold.” Frontman Jamie Jasta was frustrated with the P.A. when they started and even made the band stop the song, but he jokingly got over it. After all these years, Hatebreed still as clutch, brutal, and vital as ever. The second song they played was “Proven” and soon after the crowd was treated to something special; Karl Buechner of Earth Crisis joined Hatebreed on stage for “Last Breath,” which caused everyone to go bananas! That was the highlight of the night. We heard other fan favorites such as “Beholder Of Justice,” “Honor Never Dies,” and “Perseverance.” Never leaving anyone disappointed, Hatebreed closed their monster set with “Destroy Everything” and their anthem “I Will Be Heard.” After Hatebreed finished, by no surprise, lots of people left the venue, which is a damn shame because they missed out on an awesome performance from the mighty Zakk Wylde and Black Label Society.
Black Label Society came in with full force opening with “The Beginning…At Last.” Wasting little time, they stormed pretty fast through their set with very minimal crowd interaction at first. With songs like “Funeral Bell,” “Bleed For Me,” and “Heart Of Darkness,” Black Label Society was digging deep into their catalog which was an awesome treat. What’s always fascinating at any Black Label Society show is seeing Zakk Wylde’s arsenal of guitars. At first, he used his Bullseye Les Paul, and later he busted out the Hybrid Flying V/Les Paul, and at the end of the show he unleashed his Gibson EDS 1275 double neck guitar. After playing a few well known hits such as “My Dying Time” and “Suicide Messiah” Zakk did a spectacular seven minute long solo. Then finally the band did some crowd interaction. Zakk introduced the band to the crowd and then graced the crowd with powerful ballad “In this River” before closing their set with “Blessed Hellride” and the epic “Stillborn.” This set definitely displayed Black Label Society at their best, and hopefully it is not another decade before they come back to Syracuse. Overall a fantastic show, and not a bad way to kick off the metal shows of Syracuse in 2015.
When the announcement was made in August that the Dierks Bentley’s Riser Tour would make a stop in Utica at the Aud, it only took a matter of a few hours to sell out the arena, once again welcoming back music to the Aud. For the first time in years, music other than Queen’s “We Will Rock You” and Gary Glitter’s “Rock & Roll” anthem would play for the crowds. Utica, NY was ready to get the party started once again, and who better to kick it off than Dierks Bentley, country musics superstar.
The Utica Auditorium, designed and built by architect Gilbert Seltzer, and has been heralded as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2011. Recognizing its innovative cable suspended roof which allowed an unobstructed 360 degree view for all, this model became a cutting edge example for others as a design of excellence. After its construction in 1959, arenas such as Madison Square Garden quickly followed suit emulating its style and design.
During its hey day, the Auditorium hosted professional hockey (Utica Devils, AHL farm team for New Jersey Devils), national musicians such as Kenny Rogers, The Grateful Dead, Bruce Springsteen, ZZ Top, Phish, Godsmack, Disturbed, and Avenged Sevenfold; and set the stage as the background in movies such as SlapShot, starring Paul Newman.
Over the years though, musical acts began to dwindle and they were replaced with more family friendly events such as the Shriners Circus, Harlem Globestrotters, Ice Shows, World Wrestling Federation shows, as well as local college and high school sports and graduation ceremonies. In 1993 the Utica Devils franchise sadly moved to the Albany area, and although they were replaced during the 1993-94 season with The Utica Bulldogs, the low attendance only allowed them the opportunity to stay for the year. For the next ten years, the Aud remained relatively quiet. Too quiet.
In 2013, however the momentum picked back up when the AHL’s Vancouver Canucks were looking to relocate their farm team. Utica, NY was chosen as its new location. Hungry to welcome back a hockey team, the Mohawk Valley residents welcomed the Utica Comets with open arms and continue to keep the arena filled at each and every game during their last two seasons.
Dierks Bentley’s Riser Tour made its way to Utica, right before the holidays, and Dierks was joined on stage by Randy Houser and Eric Paslay to perform to the sold out standing room only crowd. Utica was ready to rise to the occasion and take it up a few notches to get the party started once again at the Aud.
As Eric Paslay took the stage, this crowd was ready to begin. I had the opportunity to talk with Eric earlier this year, and I can’t tell you how impressive this new artist is. His business sense, his songwriting skills, and his musicality is top-notch and promises a longevity in the country music field for years to come. He began to incite an already rowdy crowd as he played current hits and new music from his newly released album Eric Paslay. The crowd sang along to his recent hits “Friday Night” and “Song About A Girl”, but to me “She Don’t Love You” was the jewel in his setlist. I believe that this particular song, written by Eric and Jennifer Wayne, showcases his amazing talent in both songwriting and vocally. To me, it was one of the best songs of 2014, and Rolling Stone concurs as they named this song number 19 in their list of Top 25 Country songs of the year.
Next up was Randy Houser. This would be my third time covering Randy Houser and I can honestly say each time I see him, his show gets better. The first time I covered his show was at Taste of Country Music Festival this past June. He and keyboardist, John Henry Trinko, made their way through the mountains to play one of the best acoustic sets I’ve ever heard, while the rest of the crew sat by the broken down bus. His ability to overcome and give the fans an outstanding performance couldn’t possibly be topped, right? Wrong! Then came the Great NY State Fair in which together with Brad Paisley on the Country Nation World Tour, he continued to astonish me with a full band behind him knocking it once again out of the park. So could he get better again? That he did.
The one thing that continues to amaze me about Randy is his sheer talent. He’s most certainly loved by all his fans, both men and women, because he’s not pretentious. He epitomizes what a country superstar should be. He’s down to earth, he’s got a strong country voice, he writes music that touches the soul, he can strum a guitar like a pro, and he puts on a show like no other. As he played crowd favorites “Running Out of Moonlight,” “How Country Feels,” and “Goodnight Kiss” – it was his song “Like A Cowboy” that truly showcases his musical talents and persona. For those of you who haven’t seen the video (long version’s best), it’s as though you are living out the song through Randy’s depiction of a cowboy. The opening scene takes you back to the opening scene of Gunsmoke, could it possibly be the same set? Yep, Randy’s definitely the poster perfect example of what a cowboy is; rugged, handsome, and tough as nails. To me, this song (and video) was another best of 2014, and once again Rolling Stone concurred with me as they placed it at number 11. Great minds think alike here!
As if the night couldn’t get better, it most certainly did. Out came the country music superstar, Dierks Bentley. Dierks Bentley, is synonymous in Nashville as one of those one named legends. There are several of those, for example, Garth, Dolly, Hank, George, Willie, Loretta, etc. See? Dierks is simply a legend and doesn’t need a middle or last name because his fans, especially the ones in Utica, NY, knew that they were in the presence of greatness that evening. This would be the second show of the Riser Tour that I had the opportunity to cover and folks, this time he brought it and left it right there on stage. There is no way that performance could be topped. Most definitely NO WAY. This performer plays, sings, and entertains and loves every minute of it. His stage presence is contagious. I could literally see the audience reacting and coming unglued as he performed hit after hit. His ability to interact with the crowd is amazing. I truly believe if was safe enough to do it, he would bring the whole crowd on stage to dance along as he performed. He feeds off the audience and the audience feeds off of him. That my friends is the sign of a true performer that loves what he does.
Like the prior acts of the evening, Dierks has the ability to reach his audiences because he’s “real”. He gives you a piece of him, his history, his passions, his life in each and every song he writes and performs. Although Rolling Stone listed him in their Top 25 artists for his song “Say You Do”, it’s “I Hold On” that truly gives you insight into Dierks and his passion of music. The beautiful thing about Dierks’ music, is that as serious as he can be with one song, he can be just as silly and outlandish in the next. A perfect example of this is “Drunk on A Plane”. “Drunk on A Plane” incited more attendees to dress up to participate in the show than The Rocky Horror Picture Show this past year.
Whether it’s “Drunk on A Plane,” “Every Mile’s A Memory,” “What Was I Thinkin” or “Settle For A Slow Down” this award-winning Grand Ole Opry Member is a superstar in our books, and was the perfect person to kick off shows once again at the Utica Aud.
Before I close, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention as well the production crew and bands for each artists. These guys (and you all know who you are – too many names to mention here) work tirelessly behind the scenes, and behind the singers, to bring you performances of the highest caliber. Surrounding themselves with the best of the best in the business, Eric Pasley, Randy Houser, and Dierks Bentley rose to the occasion and brought the party to Utica, solidifying and making the Riser Tour a part of history here in Central New York.
This album is a great example of why a lot of the time it doesn’t make sense to try to pigeonhole a band into a certain genre. Punk, surf rock, grunge, garage rock, some psych rock sounds, all of it is found on Subtle Luxuries, the debut album from Boston band Midriffs. So, let’s just say, it rocks, in a really good way.
The lo-fi recording quality on this record is exactly how it should be. Sometimes when an album sounds slightly less than perfect and polished, the rawness of the sound is what makes it feel genuine. It’s nice when a record has the vibe of not trying too hard, while still presenting great songs that are carried by a very real energy.
They start off the record right, with “Taboo Tattoo”, an infectiously upbeat less than two and a half minute song with a punk attitude that grabs your attention and leaves you wanting more. However, before you can expect more of the same on the next track, they hit you with a walking bass line and surf rock guitar tone that make you quickly realize Midriffs have a lot to offer.
Listening through the fourth track, “Green on the Grass”, and thinking back to how the album started, it’s impressive how much the sound evolved over the course of half of the album, while still maintaining enough of an overall feel that flows incredibly well. This track is dreamier, more melodic, but they still never lose their edge. If someone went into this album thinking they were just getting a run of the mill punk record, they’d likely be very surprised to find themselves happily drifting off into a world of atmospheric reverb at the song’s close. Of course, only to be snapped right back into more fast paced action when the next track “Wine Waiter” hits.
Midriff shifts and flows through styles throughout the album, but never sticks to one for too long, making for a listen that is always interesting, and never boring or predictable. The guitar part that kicks in at the last minute of “Down By The River” takes you by surprise, with a “Oh, and they can play like that too!?” type of reaction. They then follow that with a purely instrumental surf rock track, always keeping the listener on their toes.
It will be interesting to see where they take their music on future recordings. Perhaps they’ll take one of these sounds and go further down a more narrow, specialized road. But that would be unfortunate, as it is the blend of so many great sounds that make this album what it is. Keep the reverb, keep the raw punk energy, keep shredding, keep yelling, and stay a little dreamy, because damn, these songs sound like a good time. I’ve never seen Midriffs live, but I hope it’s as much fun as it sounds. I envision a dirty bar, with good friends, some head banging, some dancing, a lot of yelling along, and a lot of beer, some of which is being thrown about over an extremely happy, energy filled crowd. Who doesn’t want some of that?
Subtle Luxuries can be listened to in full, and downloaded here.
Key Tracks: Taboo Tattoo, Death Beach, Down By The River
That 1 Guy brought his unique sounds to Albany’s Parish Public House on a cold wintry Thursday night.
The crowd wasn’t large, but everyone in attendance was dancing up a storm in front of him. With his own invented rig, dubbed The Magic Pipe, That 1 Guy wowed the crowd with quick moving hands up and down the metal pipes, strings, and other electronics on stage. There was also a bit of magic thrown in for laughs. The impressive two hour show was non-stop and should not be missed when he comes to your city.
I headed out to Toby Keith’s at Destiny this past Friday night to check out a local country act I haven’t seen yet. Once I got there, I noticed these guys had a really good following. I spoke to a few groups of people and was told they make it out to as many of Moonshine River Band’s shows as possible and that the last time they played at Toby Keith’s a bus from the Altmar area was chartered to bring in their fans. Needles to say, this really sparked my interest and I couldn’t wait til the guys hit the stage.
They are a modern country band composed of three talented guys: Joe Battles (guitar/lead vocals), Mark Ramsden (bass/vocals) and Angelo Depasquale (drums/vocals). They play some of your favorites from Jason Aldean, Eric Church, Luke Bryan and Garth Brooks, just to name a few.
Once they took the stage I have to say I was quite impressed. They sounded fantastic. Not only did they have their scheduled set list, but they also took a few requests. The vocals were smooth yet powerful and they kept their fans engaged and on the dance floor. I am really excited to have another local country band to add to an evening out. You can see them open for Easton Corbin on Jan. 15 at Toby Keith’s – I Love This Bar and grill in Syracuse.
Until January 13th, hardcore band Turnstile had not ever released a full album — but since 2010 they have gained a following of 32,000 devoted Facebook fans, all enthused by their live performances and demos. Especially known in the underground Albany scene, their followers are almost cultish, rejoicing at the release of their debut: NonStop Feeling.
In many ways, the word, ‘feeling,’ does not pair well with ‘hardcore band.’ However, one listen to a song like “Love Lasso,” the penultimate song — an instrumental — and you’ll soon understand. The title Non Stop Feeling could quite easily could refer to the idea that Turnstile’s efforts, energy, and hardness are nonstop insane and the second track, “Drop,” proves this. Thus, the “nonstop” and “feeling” work very well together.
It seems that there are few complaints one could have about this album. It should have been longer on one hand, but at the same time, its short, sweetness gives it a tasteful edge; like amazing sex: it lasts a certain amount of time, but it won’t leave your head for awhile.
Turnstile is composed of five gentlemen from Ohio, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. who share the uncanny ability to write a fully energetic album with deliberation, but carry immense emotional capacity at the same time. Their use of two guitars is especially impressive because it allows the band to carry an extra dimension of melody and a rounded out sound, while still being diligent with that nasty hardcore anger. Fans of Rage Against the Machine and Black Flag will enjoy songs such as “Addicted” and “Stress.” Even some of The Dillinger Escape Plan – like chaos echoes through the production of the album.
So far, it might sound to the reader like just another melodic hardcore album, but Nonstop Feeling goes a lot further than that. The great thing about it is the dynamics therein. Few times will bands — especially in hardcore — experiment enough to find ways to make melodies, slow songs, and ambiance work the way Turnstile does. For this reason, Non Stop Feeling is already gearing up to be one of the most memorable, brave, fierce releases of this year and Turnstile just earned themselves a new fan.
By the way, we definitely recommend going to see Turnstile at a show. Their New York dates are always famous. And whether you’re a hardcore junkie or you have never cared for the genre, these guys put on a show to be remembered.
NonStop Feeling from Turnstile can be purchased on iTunes, through the band, and at retailers.
Key tracks: “Love Lasso,” “Drop,” “Stress”
Known as one of Albany’s most distinct rock acts, Stellar Young are back with a new effort, Vessels. With great tracks such as “Helen, I…” and “We Got Away,” one would be hard pressed to deny the musicianship and writing ability of Stellar Young. Vessels is not just a good album, though, it is a breath of fresh air (if you’ll pardon the cliche) on the modern rock scene. It’s one of those albums that you can close your eyes to and relax. It’s definitely on par with some of the legends of this generation and days before.
They say every great band has an X – Factor. Stellar Young has five.
It starts with Dave Parker. He’s not just a bass player. He’s a f*cking weapon. The man had his start in Kingston, about an hour outside Albany, recording the likes of Weerd Science (of Coheed and Cambria fame) and has gone as part of Stellar to Applehead Recordings in Woodstock, where the band worked with engineer Chris Bittner to make Vessels sound like a million bucks.
All song compositions, including lyrics, are attributed to the entire band, but the broadcaster of those lyrics, John Glenn (not the astronaut) has the voice of a god; each lyric is sung with deep emotion and thought — allowing the listener to insert him or herself into the soundscape. And one live performance will have audiences convinced he is damn close to pitch perfect. On “Hitting Reset,” those high notes will leave you amazed. And his synth playing adds a new dimension to the music — one of ambiance and emotion.
“Red Lights” shows off the perfect partnership between guitarists Kyle Hatch and Erik Flora. While a lot of bands choose simply to go with a single guitarist for their own reasons, the match of Flora and Hatch remains a gold team. The two guitarists have the ability to “weave” between one another, creating a slight chaos, but also a tasteful depth. Their dirty tones work well with Glenn’s voice — think something between The Killers and The Rolling Stones.
Curt Mulick is no stranger to the drumset, either. He delivers a dynamic performance, often alternating styles for the broadest spectrum. One song that high lights his ability to do this would be “Nomad.” Not every performance is played in any traditional style, but Mulick is the driving force, the glue that kept this album together.
Overall, Vessels, is simply an album very well done. Stellar Young is no longer some underdog and they definitely don’t fit into the profile of local band anymore. It’s quite the surprise
Albany based band Bishop might have been described at times as an alternative metal or hard rock act, as their blatant use of loud, blasphemous guitars suggests, but their upcoming album, Hate Wide Open, set to drop Jan. 6, has more to offer.
From an overall perspective, Hate Wide Open, is an experience in groovy, hard rock mixed with the melodic type of vocals. The instrument section, composed of three brothers – Tom Semeraro on guitar and lead vocals, Rocco Semeraro on drums and backing vocals, and Vincent Padula on bass and backing vocals — who also generate a fairly tight system of vocals based around their lead singers melody. The music is not far from groove – oriented hard rock. Clutch fans will enjoy the riff driven guitars, rather than stand alone chords — the latter of which is all but absent in the album, while Anthrax and Metallica fans will likely enjoy the vocal styles. And finally, Bishop, clearly understand the necessity of deliberation in an album. If nothing else, Hate Wide Open hits its listener in the jaw.
You’ll be able to shout along, bang your head, and nod to the groove in your car.
Unfortunately, the album is far from perfect. Bishop seems to have committed three great sins against their own ministry. One is that the album is repetitive. Guitars repeat the same scale all too much, and follow the same pattern. Songs such as the title track, and Pretty, come off as a rehashing of Clutch’s Blast Tyrant, Anthrax, and at times even Mötley Crüe. And these combinations result in the listener’s belief that Bishop’s ability to write is limited, and worse, it can cause the listener boredom.
Likewise, some of the lead vocals come off as lazy, as at certain points, they lack integrity, or may have been rushed through the recording process. In these instances, Tom Semeraro’s voice simply seems tired, it drags on for just too long.
Luckily, Hate Wide Open ,contains a few tricky twists, at least enough to keep the listening party active for one full round. “Awaken” is a brilliantly a constructed straight rock ballad — it seems to draw its influence from a few different acts and sounds different from any other song on the album — transitioning from an emotional acoustic dance to heavy sway.
Further, the album is strong with enough NOLA type riffs, along the lines of Down or Crowbar, to further the great energy the album has. In similar fashion, “Neverland” is quite possibly the strongest track on the album. It twists straight rock with psychedelic build. If this song doesn’t capture your attention, few things will.
Overall, Hate Wide Open, is a solid attempt, but Bishop doesn’t really bless us with this one. They would do well to reevaluate how songs are written — and although the album is energetic — it just doesn’t satisfy. But don’t worry, guys, we’ll give you a second chance. Say ten Hail Mary’s and we’ll consider you absolved.
The album can be purchased directly from the band at bishopmusic.com.
Key Tracks: Awaken, Neverland, Pretty
Take a step back to the roots and let Johnny be your tour guide. Recorded before the untimely passing of Johnny Winter at the age of 70 in July 2014 and released as planned in September, Step Back brings us on a 13-song journey through the roots of blues. He takes along a plethora of talent to spotlight throughout the album, including Upstate NY’s own Joe Bonamassa. Though Winter has played the field of rock and roll, his heart had always been in the blues and Step Back brings his recordings full-circle.
Back in 2011, Winter released his penultimate album Roots which was a predecessor to Step Back. Much the same, that album journeys through the early blues recordings with guest talent – Jimmy Vivino, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes, and his brother Edgar Winter among others.
A day or two prior to Johnny’s performance at the Towne Crier Café in October 2012 (currently located in Beacon, NY but located in nearby Pawling, NY at the time) I had the privilege to interview him over the phone live on WRPI Troy. At the time, Roots had been out for about a year and the idea for a “Roots II” follow-up album had at least been formalized. I asked him how he goes about picking who he wants to collaborate with on the album and who he wanted to get on the album but couldn’t for whatever reason. Here’s what he had to share regarding Roots:
I just pick people I liked. Paul [Nelson] actually picked most of them and they were people that I liked, people I have known. I have a lot of respect for all the guys on the record.
There were a lot of people. I wanted B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Dr. John, Billy Gibbons, a lot of people that just didn’t have the time to do it… Eric Clapton. Maybe we’ll get them on the next one.
Get some of them he did for Step Back. From that list he is joined by Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, Dr. John, and also by Leslie West (Mountain), Brian Setzer, Ben Harper, Jason Ricci, the Blues Brothers Horns, and Joe Perry (Aerosmith).
As a blues standards album, all but one of the songs are covers of songs originally recorded by the iconic names of blues and rock and roll – Willy Dixon, Bo Diddley, B.B. King, and Howlin’ Wolf, among others. Some may say that a covers album is a simple way to record and release another album to sell but to say that about Step Back (and Roots as well) would be a mistake.
Johnny and band mate/producer Paul Nelson did something with this record that would make you second-guess if they were actually his songs vs. covers. The songs are re-crafted to be all about Johnny’s noted guitar and slide guitar work bolstering howling licks and smooth blues with a big unyielding sound. He does this all with staying true to the old blues structure of composing. The guest artists also add their own distinct sound when they take their turn at some solos and rhythm fills.
When I interviewed Johnny I also asked if he had any sneak peaks at the then unnamed follow-up album he didn’t want to spoil any surprises. “Well, I don’t want to tell you what we’re going to do. I’ve got a pretty good idea though!” he said toward the end of the interview.
Winter’s take on these blues standards gives a fresh life to them. Not to say the genre has ever faltered or given way, however. It is a gratifying listen to long-time blues and rock aficionados but presents the standards to a younger generation in a vibrant rebirth of those songs hidden in the LP stacks or heard when passing by Stevie Ray Vaughn’s cover of “Who Do You Love” on the radio.
While listening to the album it is profitable to have the liner notes on hand to be your guide to each song. There is no story or narrative about the songs nor lyrics; the notes are simple and to the point laying out precisely which part of the song features the guest artist. Let the notes be your friend and make for a more fulfilling experience listening to Step Back.
Step Back has been nominated for Best Blues Album for the 2015 Grammy Awards on February 8 and is up against releases by Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin, Ruthie Foster, Charlie Musselwhite, and Bobby Rush with Blinddog Smokin’.
Key tracks: Unchain My Heart, Sweet Sixteen, Death Letter
Track Listing, with original composer and guest aritst:
1.”Unchain My Heart” – Bobby Sharp (feat. Blues Brothers Horns)
2.”Can’t Hold Out (Talk to Me Baby)” – Willie Dixon (feat. Ben Harper)
3.”Don’t Want No Woman” – Don Robey (feat. Eric Clapton)
4.”Killing Floor” – Howlin’ Wolf (feat.Paul Nelson)
5.”Who Do You Love” – Bo Diddley
6.”Okie Dokie Stomp” – Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown (feat. Brian Setzer)
7.”Where Can You Be” – original (feat. Billy Gibbons)
8.”Sweet Sixteen” – B.B. King, Joe Josea (feat. Joe Bonamassa)
9.”Death Letter” – Son House (solo Johnny Winter)
10.”My Babe” – Willie Dixon (feat. Jason Ricci)
11.”Long Tall Sally” – Little Richard, Robert Blackwell, Enotris Johnson (feat. Leslie West)
12.”Mojo Hand” – Lightnin’ Hopkins (feat. Joe Perry)
13.”Blue Monday” – Dave Bartholomew (feat. Dr. John)
Johnny Winter performing “Dust My Broom” from the predecessor to Step Back, Roots, on The Late Show with David Letterman in 2012